Method of manufacturing floating boat dock modules

ABSTRACT

A cement coated, wire reinforced, styrofoam core floating boat dock module is produced by fastening a plurality of layers of wire mesh about the styrofoam core; placing the core on a panshaped container member containing sufficient concrete to form a bottom portion of the module; feeding the core member and container into an alignment portion of a coating apparatus to align the core member with a coating portion of the apparatus; continuing to feed the core member and container into the coating portion of the apparatus where it is coated a portion at a time; continuing to feed the core member and container member through a sizing portion subsequent to the coating portion so that the external dimensions of the module are established; removing the coated module from the sizing portion and applying a sufficient thickness of concrete coating to the end portions of the module so as to completely enclose the core member and wire mesh.

United States Patent [191 Shirrell Mar. 4, 1975 METHOD OF MANUFACTURING FLOATING BOAT DOCK MODULES [75] Inventor: Clarence Lee Shirrell, Cape Girardeau, Mo. [73] Assignee: Rosecon, Inci, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

[22] Filed: Jan. 11, 1974 [2]] App]. No.: 432,536

ll4/65 A. 77, 43.5; 61/48; 425/61, 110, 126. 113; 264/45, 70-72, 145, 171,256, 274

Primary E.\'uminer-Trygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Sherman D. Basinger Attorney Agent, or Firm-Cushman. Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT A cement coated, wire reinforced, styrofoam core floating boat dock module is produced by fastening a plurality of layers of wire mesh about the Styrofoam core; placing the core on a pan-shaped container member containing sufficient concrete to form a bottom portion of the module; feeding the core member and container into an alignment portion of a coating apparatus to align the core member with a coating portion of the apparatus; continuing to feed the core member and container into the coating portion of the apparatus where it is coated a portion at a time; con- 5 References Cited tinuing to feed the core member and container mem- UNITED STATES PATENTS ber through a sizing portion subsequent to the coating w] 7 5 15/196 Tellefsen 4/43 5 portion so that the external dimensions of the module agb, gllgn Thompso'ri Hat/5'1: are established; removmg the coated module from the 5:6 :6 {M971 Ruth Sr 4/65 A sizing portion and applying a sufficient thickness of $659540 5/[972 Toby at a]. N 4/5 F concrete coating to the end portions of the module so as to completely enclose the core member and wire mesh.

' 12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures IAJ] n METHOD OF MANUFACTURING FLOATING BOAT DOCK MODULES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a method for producin floating boat dock modules of the type having a styrofoam or other low density bouyant material core, and

a concrete exterior.

2. Prior Art It is well known that floating boat dock modules and the like, can be produced from concrete either by providing an enclosed open area within the module or by additionally providing within the concrete structure, a low density bouyant material. Such devices are shown for example, in US. Pat. Nos. 3,659,540; 3,012,533 and 1,900,319. Such modules are very useful and many models have been extremely commercially successful.

- However, a major difficulty with these modules is the inefficient and relatively expensive manner in which they are produced. It has heretofor been a common practice to produce such modules in sections, for example, separate top, bottom and side panels, and then fasten the various sections together to produce the desired module. Still, in other instances, such modules have been produced by using a form which has the size of the internal cavity desired in the module and then spraying this form or otherwise coating it with concrete in such a manner that substantial manual labor is involved, such as by trowelling the entire module to establish the appropriate external dimensions therefor. As can be readily perceived in this method of producing the modules, it is necessary to rotate or otherwise reorient the position of the forming member in order to fully form the module.

In addition to these difficulties of forming the modules in a conventional manner, if the concrete structure is to be reinforced with multiple layers of wire mesh, or even a single layer, it is difficult, particularly when the cement is applied manually with a trowel, to cause the cement to penetrate through the various layers of wire mesh so as to be effectively completely reinforced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention overcomes the above described difficulties associated with the prior art methods of producing floating boat dock modules of the type herein referred to, by providing a method which is fast, economical, and which consistently produces a unified reinforced concrete structure with a central low density bouyant material core such as styrofoam. This is accomplished by fastening at least one layer ofwire mesh, and preferably a plurality of layers, to a central styrofoam forming member, so as to completely enclose the member. This core member, consisting of styrofoam covered with wire mesh, is then placed in a container member which has previously been supplied with an adequate amount of concrete to form the bottom portion of the finished module. The core member and container member are then fed into a coating apparatus having an alignment portion, a coating portion and a sizing portion. As the core member and container member enter the apparatus they are aligned with the coating portion by means of the alignment portion so as to be located in a centralized position such that will permit even distribution of concrete about the core member as it moves into the coating portion of the apparatus. The coating portion of the apparatus hasv a width which is preferably less than the length of the core member so that as the core member and container member move through the coating portion of the appa ratus only a portion of the core member is coated with concrete at any one point in time. As the core member and container member .move through the coating portion, the top and the side portions of the core member are coated with concrete which is uniformly distributed about the top and sides of the core member in such a manner as to provide more concrete thickness about these portions than is ultimately desired. In order to aid in the effective distribution of'the concrete about the top and side portions of the core member, a vibrating apparatus is preferably utilized along the side portions so as to assist in the movement of the concrete and to uniformly distribute it through the wire mesh.

After the core member passes through the coating portion of the apparatus it passes through a sizing portion which establishes the dimensions and shape of the top, bottom and side portions of the desired finished module. The additional concrete applied in the coating portion is prevented from passing through the sizing portion. After the module has been sized, it is removed from the sizing portion and the end portions are coated with cement, either manually with. a trowel, for example, or by spraying or other known means, so as to complete the enclosure of the core member and thus produce-the desired floating boat dock module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment utilized to practice the method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 33; and

FIG. 4 a pictorial view showing the sizing portion of the preferred embodiment with a module partially disposed therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIG. 1, the basic coating apparatus consists of a long platform portion 10, a pan-shaped container member 12 (best shown in FIG. 4), a core member 14, an aligning portion 16, a coating portion 18 and a sizing portion 20.

Referring to FIG. 2, the core member 14 preferably consists of a styrofoam core 22 and three layers of wire mesh 24, 26 and 28 (shown in FIG. 4). In constructing core member 14 it is preferable to utilize a fine mesh for wire mesh 24 adjacent the styrofoam core. For example, a wire mesh having /2 by /2 inch opening and a 19 guage wire. The second wire mesh is preferably a much larger or open mesh. For example, 3 by 6 inch openings with number 9 or number 10 wire. The third or outer wire mesh is again, preferably a fine mesh such as that described for use as mesh 24.

The container member 12 is preferably a shallow pan-shaped member which can contain a small amount of concrete which forms the bottom portion of the finished module. The core member 14 is positioned in container member 12 on top of the concrete and worked into the concrete so that the concrete is uniformly distributed through the wire mesh 24, 26, and 28, on the bottom of core member 14.

A hydraulic ram 30 is utilized to feed the core member 14 and container member 12 through the coating apparatus. A manual control device and pumping appa ratus is provided in a unit 32 disposed on top of the alignment portion 16 of the coating apparatus so as to be readily excessable to an operator tending the coating portion 18. Hydraulic lines 34 and 36 extendrearwardly from the control unit 32 to the ram means 30 which is preferably a double acting hydraulic cylinder so that the ramming portion 38 may be moved backwards and forwards.

Alignment portion 16 has a cross sectional shape comprable to the cross section of core member 14, but having its front end 40 of larger dimension than the core member and its rear end 42 which is substantially the same dimension as core member 14. This aligns the core member 14 so that it will be centered in coating portion 18 of the coating apparatus. Since container member 12 is wider than core member 14, it is necessary to provide a relieved portion in aligning portion 16 at the bottom thereof, so that the pan member can pass readily through the alignment portion into the coating portion while the core member is properly aligned at the rear end 42. Only adequate clearance should be provided between the sides of container member 12 and the bottom of alignment portion 16, to permit the container member 12 free movement through the alignment portion 16, but. without allowing excess space such that would permit a substantial flow of con-- crete out of coating portion 18 as core member 14 is being coated. A short additional alignment portion 44 is provided between the rear end 42 of alignment portion 16 and the front edge 46 of coating portion 18 so as to maintain the core member 14 in proper relation to coating portion 18 as it passes therethrough. The relieved portion, necessary for movement of container member 12 is continued through additional alignment portion 44.

Referring to FIG. 3, the coating portion 18 is shown in greater detail along with sizing portion 20. A hopper 48 is positioned on the top of coating portion 18 and is continuously supplied with concrete 50 while core member 14 is moving through the coating portion. Cement 50 flows down along the sides of core member 14, since the sidewall portions 52 and 54 are wider than both the core member 14 and container member 12. Vibrating plates 56 and 58 are attached to sides 52 and 54 of the coating portion 18 so as to vibrate these sides and cause more even distribution of cement 50 through the wire mesh along the side portions of core member 14.

As container member 12 and core member 14 move through the coating portion 18 and receive a coating of cement 50, they immediately enter a sizing portion of the coating apparatus which removes the excess cement 50 and establishes the final dimensions of the boat dock module 60. The width of the sizing portion is preferably the width of the container member 12. As shown in H6. 4, a flared portion 62 is provided between the coating portion 18 and sizing portion 20 to gradually remove the excess concrete 50 from the module 60. As the module 60 exits sizing portion 20 it is preferably slid onto a pallet or platform 64 so that it may be removed from the output end of the coating apparatus. A dolly 66 is shown here for that purpose.

Once the module 60 has been removed from the coating apparatus the end portions are then coated with Jconcrete either by spraying or placing the concrete on the ends with a trowel, to thus finish enclosing the boat dock module 60. The module 60 is then removed from container member 12, or may be removed prior to finishing the end portions, whichever is most desirable. Since the sizing portion is equal to the width of the container member 12, a slight shelf 68 (shown in FIG. 3) in the concrete will result and should be filled in the same manner as the end portions of module 60 are finished, so as to provide a uniform wall surface on both sides of the module 60.

Although the method of the present invention has been described in connection with the production of a solid rectangular boat dock module 60, it is contemplated that the module will often be produced with means for securing a multiplicity of the modules together and that such means may be formed integral with at least the end portions of the module 60. For example, at least two laterally spaced holes, extending longitudinally through the boat dock module 60, can be placed in the core 14 prior to running the core through the apparatus in the manner described above. When the module 60 has been removed from the apparatus the end portions can be covered over with the exception of the holes, so that lines or cables may be run through these holes and through multiple boat dock modules and secured at their ends so as to be in tension, thus, securing multiple modules in end to end relationship so as to form a dock member.

Other means of fastening multiple boat dock modules together can obviously be deviced by one of ordinary skill in the art even though they may require modification of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus described in connection with the method of the present invention. Such simple modifications should be considered within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing a floating boat dock module comprising the steps of:

fastening at least one layer of wire mesh to a low density bouyant forming member so as to form an enclosure therefor; placing said forming member with said wire mesh attached thereto, on a movable container member containing an adequate amount of concrete to form a bottom portion of a concrete covering for said member and said mesh; feeding said container member carrying said forming member and said mesh, into an aligning portion of a coating apparatus so as to align said forming member and mesh in appropriate relation to a coating portion of said coating apparatus; feeding said container member carrying said forming member and mesh, into said coating portion;

coating a top and side portions of said forming member and mesh with an adequate amount of concrete to form the top and side portions of a concrete covering therefor;

feeding said container member, forming member and mesh into a sizing portion of said coating apparatus whereby the dimensions of said top, bottom and side portions are established;

removing said forming member and mesh from said sizing portion and said container member; and coating end portions of said forming member and mesh with adequate concrete to form the end portions of a covering therefor and thus complete the enclosure of said forming member and mesh to form said floating boat dock module.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of fastening wire mesh to said forming member includes the steps of:

fastening a layer of relatively fine wire mesh to said forming member; fastening a layer of relatively open mesh on top of said fine mesh layer; and

fastening another layer of relatively fine wire mesh on top of said open mesh, each of said layers being secured so as to completely surround said forming member.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of feeding said container member carrying said forming member and said mesh into said aligning portion ineludes the steps of:

placing said container on an open platform portion of said coating apparatus, and

pushing said container into said aligning portion.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of coating said top and side portions includes the steps of:

applying said coating over only a portion of the length in the direction of movement of said forming member at any one point in time as it is being fed through said coating portion; and

supplying a thickness of concrete greater than the final thickness desired, to said coating section so as to encompass said top and side portions for said portion ofthe length of said forming member.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said step of supplying said concrete includes the steps of:

feeding the concrete down into said coating portion from a hopper means; and agitating said concrete along at least the side portions of said coating portion so as to aid in the even distribution of said concrete about said forming member and into said mesh.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of removing said forming member and mesh from said sizing portion includes the step of:

removing said forming member and mesh from said apparatus.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 including before the step of fastening said wire mesh to said forming member, the step of:

forming said forming member out of styrofoam.

8. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein, prior to the step of fastening said wire mesh to said forming member, the step of forming at least two holes longitudinally through said forming member in spaced relation so as to provide a path for a cable through a plurality of said modules as a means of fastening them together.

9. A method of producing a floating boat dock module comprising the steps of:

covering a low density bouyant forming member with at least one layer of wire mesh to form a core member;

placing said core member on a container member containing a layer of concrete of sufficient thickness to form a bottom portion of a concrete covering for said core member; feeding said core member and container member through a coating apparatus having an aligning portion, a coating portionand a sizing portion;

aligning said core member and said container mem ber with said coating portion as they pass through said aligning portion;

applying a concrete covering to top and side portions of said core member as it and said container member pass through said coating portion; trimming said top, bottom and side dimensions of said module as said core member covered with concrete and said container member move through said sizing portion, so as to provide a sufficient thickness of concrete to form top, bottom and side portions of a covering for said core member;

removing said core member from said apparatus;-and

covering end portions of said core member with concrete of sufficient thickness to form end portions of said module and to completely enclose said core member.

10. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein after said step of removing said core member from said apparatus includes the step of:

removing said core member from said container.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the step of applying a concrete covering to top and side portions of said core, includes the step of:

applying said coating over only a portion of the length in the direction of movement of said core member at any one point in time as it is being fed through said coating portion.

12. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein, prior to the step of fastening said wire mesh to said forming member, the step of forming at least two holes longitudinally through said forming member in spaced relation so as to provide a path for a cable through a plurality of said modules as a means of fastening them together. l l= 

1. A method of producing a floating boat dock module comprising the steps of: fastening at least one layer of wire mesh to a low density bouyant forming member so as to form an enclosure therefor; placing said forming member with said wire mesh attached thereto, on a movable container member containing an adequate amount of concrete to form a bottom portion of a concrete covering for said member and said mesh; feeding said container member carrying said forming member and said mesh, into an aligning portion of a coating apparatus so as to align said forming member and mesh in appropriate relation to a coating portion of said coating apparatus; feeding said container member carrying said forming member and mesh, into said coating portion; coating a top and side portions of said forming member and mesh with an adequate amount of concrete to form the top and side portions of a concrete covering therefor; feeding said container member, forming member and mesh into a sizing portion of said coating apparatus whereby the dimensions of said top, bottom and side portions are established; removing said forming member and mesh from said sizing portion and said container member; and coating end portions of said forming member and mesh with adequate concrete to form the end portions of a covering therefor and thus complete the enclosure of said forming member and mesh to form said floating boat dock module.
 2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of fastening wire mesh to said forming member includes the steps of: fastening a layer of relatively fine wire mesh to said forming member; fastening a layer of relatively open mesh on top of said fine mesh layer; and fastening another layer of relatively fine wire mesh on top of said open mesh, each of said layers being secured so as to completely surround said forming member.
 3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of feeding said container member carrying said forming member and said mesh into said aligning portion includes the steps of: placing said container on an open platform portion of said coating apparatus, and pushing said container into said aligning portion.
 4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of coating said top and side portions includes the steps of: applying said coating over only a portion of the length in the direction of movement of said forming member at any one point in time as it is being fed through said coating portion; and supplying a thickness of concrete greater than The final thickness desired, to said coating section so as to encompass said top and side portions for said portion of the length of said forming member.
 5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said step of supplying said concrete includes the steps of: feeding the concrete down into said coating portion from a hopper means; and agitating said concrete along at least the side portions of said coating portion so as to aid in the even distribution of said concrete about said forming member and into said mesh.
 6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of removing said forming member and mesh from said sizing portion includes the step of: removing said forming member and mesh from said apparatus.
 7. A method as defined in claim 1 including before the step of fastening said wire mesh to said forming member, the step of: forming said forming member out of styrofoam.
 8. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein, prior to the step of fastening said wire mesh to said forming member, the step of forming at least two holes longitudinally through said forming member in spaced relation so as to provide a path for a cable through a plurality of said modules as a means of fastening them together.
 9. A method of producing a floating boat dock module comprising the steps of: covering a low density bouyant forming member with at least one layer of wire mesh to form a core member; placing said core member on a container member containing a layer of concrete of sufficient thickness to form a bottom portion of a concrete covering for said core member; feeding said core member and container member through a coating apparatus having an aligning portion, a coating portion and a sizing portion; aligning said core member and said container member with said coating portion as they pass through said aligning portion; applying a concrete covering to top and side portions of said core member as it and said container member pass through said coating portion; trimming said top, bottom and side dimensions of said module as said core member covered with concrete and said container member move through said sizing portion, so as to provide a sufficient thickness of concrete to form top, bottom and side portions of a covering for said core member; removing said core member from said apparatus; and covering end portions of said core member with concrete of sufficient thickness to form end portions of said module and to completely enclose said core member.
 10. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein after said step of removing said core member from said apparatus includes the step of: removing said core member from said container.
 11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the step of applying a concrete covering to top and side portions of said core, includes the step of: applying said coating over only a portion of the length in the direction of movement of said core member at any one point in time as it is being fed through said coating portion.
 12. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein, prior to the step of fastening said wire mesh to said forming member, the step of forming at least two holes longitudinally through said forming member in spaced relation so as to provide a path for a cable through a plurality of said modules as a means of fastening them together. 